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Local governments often find their ability to engage in environmental work limited by, among other things, time and expertise. Citizen science can be used as an organizing principle to initiate and revitalize the environmental work of local governments. Citizen science connects interested citizens with professional experts in generated knowledge about the environment. The most promising local environmental actions often are those developed and run by interested and motivated citizens, or professionals, but rarely do the two collaborate. Citizen science taps in to the deeply American tradition of populism by connecting citizens with a common cause, in this case the environment. Citizen science, as an organizing principle, can revitalize local environmental agencies like Environmental Management Councils and Conservation Advisory Commissions in New York State. More broadly, citizen science can broaden the environmental agenda by connecting citizens to the environmental commons through public work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

St. Lawrence University students and staff started an old-growth program focusing on St. Lawrence County. The intent of the program is to gather field data about old-growth forests in the county that can be used to establish a viable forested landscape. The methodology includes stand evaluations and a scoring system that identifies high quality old-growth stands that can be targeted for preservation. In addition, mapping these stands facilitates efforts for the creation ofa network of interconnected forest blocks for enhanced conservation on this fragmented landscape. The program also seeks to work collaboratively with public agencies and private landowners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]